Innovators: About

About

OceansAdvance is the voice of the

Newfoundland and Labrador

Ocean Technology Innovation Cluster.

Definition

The Newfoundland and Labrador Ocean Technology sector is comprised of companies, institutions, and organizations dedicated to ocean and marine-related technology, education, training, research and development, promotion, delivery and application. The technology is used to deliver solutions and generate efficiencies through safe and sustainable exploration, development, monitoring and use of ocean resources.

Newfoundland and Labrador is the world’s real-time cold ocean laboratory, strategically positioned along the path to the Arctic.

Background

In 2005, a group of Newfoundland and Labrador (NL) Research, Academic, Industry and Government leaders converged to create an ocean technology cluster management organization. Its initial mission was to unite and excite the development of an ocean technology sector in NL, by aligning industry, academia, research and government toward a shared long-term vision of economic diversification.

Today, OceansAdvance's members include more than 50 export-driven companies; more than 20 research and technology organizations; highly engaged municipal, provincial and federal governments plus a number of post-secondary academic institutes and trade associations focused on producing the next generation of ocean leaders.

As the organization representing one of Canada's most dynamic innovation clusters, OceansAdvance is led by groups of professionals who spearhead cutting-edge oceans research; who have award-winning and growing expertise in operating safely and efficiently in Arctic marine conditions; who are leaders in the global Blue Economy; and who lead an impressive innovation ecosystem. OceansAdvance enjoys many mutually-beneficial relationships from its expanding network of global innovation partners.

This multi-stakeholder technology cluster is underpinned by innovation, commercialization and export and is influenced by Newfoundland and Labrador's burgeoning offshore energy, transportation, fishing and aquaculture sectors. Locally developed ocean technologies and the innovators who develop them are employed in laboratories, on barges, tankers, vessels, production platforms and submersibles. They are deployed at every depth of the ocean column, from the high water mark to the depths of the Marianas Trench.